Ending the 'Light'
by writer's addictions 8
Summary: Letting a mysterious, dark force control him, Yugi gets rid of the Millennium Puzzle. Our favorite spirit of the artifact must return to his friends, seek help, figure out what the darkness wants and stop this dangerous new villain that was once his best friend before anymore innocent lives are lost. Rated T for dark themes.
1. Chapter 1

_Does it hurt?_

"No. Of course not. Why would it hurt?"

"_Yugi! Listen to yourself! You've gone mad!_"

_He wants you out of the way. He wants to destroy the world once more._

Yugi grabbed the Millennium Puzzle and pulled it off, the soulless, angered glint in his violet eyes chilling the spirit within to the core. "Destroy the pharaoh." His voice droned out, the puzzle slipping down as Yugi let the chain rest on the tip of his index finger.

The pit of fire surged, as if the flames wished to grab at the puzzle, _take it_.

_Take the very thing which holds you back, and get rid of it. You have power._

"_Stop! You don't know what you're doing, Yugi! Don't listen to the darkness! Fight the darkness!_"

"Silence! You no longer control me, spirit. What you've done, from the moment you decided to take over, has done nothing but damage me! I don't want and never wanted this destiny! What made you think you could just force it onto me? No matter what you believe about _friendship_ and _saving the world_ won't change the fact that you've done wrong." Yugi hooked his finger around the chain.

_Finish this._

"You've taken away the innocence of my life. Fame wasn't what I searched for. I didn't want to do anything more than be a kid, have an easy life with no hurt, never have to worry about constantly losing my soul or someone getting taken away from me. You came along, then everything turned for the worse. I never even had a choice in any of it. I was put into situations of pain, suffering, and defeat. My body and mind were warped by you and your lies." He grinned, darkness glowing around him. "Now I'm free. I can let the power I held inside for so long do what it wants. And you have no choice in the matter."

_Reap the rewards of your suffering, great beast. You deserve it all. _

"_I... I never knew you felt that way, Yugi. Why have you never told me about this?_"

A laugh so maniacal, and its source seemingly so innocent that it didn't match. The darkness whipped and thrashed behind him. "You didn't need to know. I knew I would eventually get my revenge. I didn't think it would be this easy, though. The very people who help you, dropping one by one and you would never suspect the very person who gave you a body to be the cause. You're too trusting of me, and now I'll_ pay you back the best I can_." Yugi let his grip loosen on the chain holding the artifact.

"_No! Yugi!_"

"Good bye, _Pharaoh_. May the darkness consume you soon."


	2. Chapter 2

"911. What is your emergency?" The woman asked with a stern yet hidden bored tone. She had this job for the simple reason of good pay, helpfulness and easiness. She just needed to guide whoever called to safety, assuring them that help was on the way. That was her simple task. Assurance and alerting. She had nothing else to do but that. Most of the calls were the same. Fire, gun shots, murder, suicide. It was depressing but she had to keep a calm mind.

On the other side of the line was yelling. Something the woman could decipher as "Press on the wound more." There was a shuffling noise and a male voice said, "We're at some cliffs near the mountain. There was a boy lying unconscious and bleeding. He needs help. Please." His pleads were quick and there was a scream.

"_Yugi_! Don't do this!"

The operator listened as the male told someone to either hold him down or calm him down. She couldn't tell. The screaming continued and it felt foreboding to the woman. Whoever this boy was, he wasn't sane. Or maybe he was traumatized by something. She called up the right people and told the man they were on their way before he hung up.

She sat back in her seat and shuddered. Odd. She never felt nervous after other calls. There were others like this one, but something about it just didn't shake away. In seconds, there was another call. She calmed down a little before saying, "911. What is your emergency?"

A laugh on the other end. Chilling cold laugh that made the operator's eyes widen.

"Sir, if this is a joke-"

"Oh, no. Nothing like that. I'm merely amused by the fact that you didn't run. You shouldn't have taken that call, ma'am. You heard too much for my liking. I can't have people with decent statuses making connections." The voice sounded strange. It sounded like a boy's, high-pitched and innocent, but his words were dark and cruel, like an evil mastermind's. His chuckle echoed again through the line. "Ma'am, are you aware of the darkness that surrounds you right now?"

The question confused the woman and she looked around her before returning to the call. "I'm hanging up, young man. Call again and-"

Something caught at her throat, cutting off her empty threats and stopping her breath. A sigh came from the boy on the other end of the line. "Seems like you aren't. Too bad. I'll just have to kill you then. Give your soul to the light. I hope you like being ripped into pieces, ma'am. I'd hate to have to go so quick, but I have other matters to attend to. Like that boy you heard on your last call."

Dark veils wrapped around the woman and within moments, her limbs were pulled into them, then her body sunk in. Her head remained and the last thing she heard before the shadows swallowed her was,

"May the darkness consume you soon."


	3. Chapter 3

Yami whined as the man put more pressure on his forehead. The people around him had told him to calm down and he tried. There was danger and yelling out about it wasn't going to save the world from the darkness.

_Yugi's gone._

He had to face the reality of that. Question is, why did he not die in the flames Yugi tossed him into? Maybe that was just an illusion conjured up by the shadows controlling Yugi to scare him. The puzzle was merely meant to shatter and his soul forever lost within the pieces. Why was he alive then? Why was he in Yugi's body once more? Was it all a part of his imagination? Did he just make up the shadows and jumped off the side of a cliff because he had finally gone mad?

_I've become insane._

He finally cracked under so much pressure and tried to commit suicide. Joyous.

So far had he gone into his thoughts, he didn't notice the pressure had faded, replaced by a white bandage wrapped around his forehead. He didn't sense his body moving automatically, guided by others hands to the back of an ambulance. He only returned to the truth when a familiar face appeared. Behind the police officer's shoulder was a shocking streak of blonde that Yami knew belonged to one teen. He mumbled to the authority about his friend, gesturing to him as other officers forced him and other people away from the scene.

The man went to his partners and told him to allow the boy in. He didn't have to lead the teen in, as the blonde let himself through.

"Yuge! What happened to you? We were looking for you everywhere! You ran off and... You're hurt!" said Joey as he saw his best friend's condition. The bloody bandage wrapped around his head. The bruises on his face and body were barely hidden under the small sheet the adults had given him. Truly, Yugi looked like crap. His expression was upset as far as the goofball duelist could tell. He was gripping the puzzle close, which usually signified worry for the spirit within. Joey saw the glint in his friend's eyes was not the childish one he knew, but of the more confident spirit's. This meant one of two things. Yugi was in trouble in the puzzle or outside the puzzle somehow. "What happened? Tell me."

Yami averted his gaze, saying nothing.

Joey growled. "What happened to him? Where is he?" He demanded the answer now. He needed to know what happened. This was one of his friends they were talking about. His best friend. The one that showed him the light of the world. Warm happiness in his once cold hate. He needed his friends by his side to show him everything was fine in their world. This spirit of the Puzzle only came in times of danger and sometimes Joey appreciated the warning, but when he wouldn't even look into Joey's eyes and tell him what was wrong, that's when he knew it was serious.

Taking the puzzle off, Yami held it up and stared at the gold pyramid. Normally, if he took the Puzzle off, he wasn't able to keep control of Yugi's body and had to revert to Yugi. He knew Joey understood this from the look in his brown eyes. It was true then. Yami hadn't gone crazy.

"_Yugi's gone_."

Suddenly, Yami was being held up by the collar of his school jacket. He gagged slightly and almost lost his hold on the Millennium Puzzle. His head let out a dull throb of pain and he hissed at it.

Joey clenched his teeth and fingers. "Don't say that, you sorry son of a bitch. Yugi can't be gone!" He saw Yami's pained expression and realized what he was doing, then set him back down. He had to relax. He needed to relax and figure out what to do. "I-I'm sorry. I... I just got angry and lost control for a moment. You okay?" He gave the spirit an apologetic look before sitting down next to him. Shock still held his throat and weighed his stomach. He just couldn't grip the fact his friend was gone. Where, he still didn't know, but he hoped the spirit of the Puzzle would tell him.

A sigh escaped Yami's lips and he let the sheet fall behind him. Peering up, he saw the edge of the cliff Yugi once stood on. He was under the impression that the flames he saw below the cliff were real, when it appeared they were all fake. Somehow, he was still inside Yugi's body. Possibly, the darkness took Yugi's soul and fled with it, leaving Yami with a hostless body to control by himself. He tumbled down the cliff, hitting his head on one of the rocks on the way down and other small hits as well. He explained that to Joey with dread in his soul.

While Joey took this information in, the commotion around them died down and they were slowly being left alone. Joey gulped a little, recognition evident on his face. "We were looking for you for hours after Yugi ran off. Tea and Tristan split from me to go find you and Yugi somewhere else. I saw the flashing lights and heard the sirens down here and thought there was trouble." They walked through a path up the cliff and the blonde lead Yami back to the city.

Yami found himself in the game shop, Tea wrapping her arms around him, saying she was glad he was safe. He had to explain to her, Tristan and Grandpa what occurred before with Yugi. Tea was a bit upset at hearing this but assure him that they would all help in trying to find Yugi and saving him from this dark force. That gave him some sense of happiness at least, that his friends stood by him now, when he was without Yugi. He was then situated on Yugi's bed, in the night, alone, prepared for sleep that was difficult to obtain. He was just there, head spinning with questions, wondering what he would have to do. Yami already had his friends to be by his side in this, but he had no idea what he was up against. This darkness took Yugi from him without he himself knowing.

Yugi mentioned these shadows were the product of his hatred towards Yami for giving him this destiny. For having taken possession of Yugi's body and doing what he pleased, bringing dangers like Marik and Barkura into his life, the God cards, and placing the fate of many souls like his on the line all in one card game. That's what this vengeful side of him felt like showing.

To this, Yami only scoffed. Yugi was not one for revenge. He wasn't spiteful or malicious. He was innocent, kind, sweet, everything Yami wasn't. For all Yami knew, he should have been the one taken by the shadows, not Yugi. "Why wasn't it me?" He asked himself. What did the shadows have to gain from taking Yugi and not Yami? Bait for the Pharaoh's soul? No, the shadows would've just stolen his soul if they were from within Yugi. The Millennium Items? No, Yugi tossed the Puzzle away with light regard. A vessel for something? The shadows took Yugi's soul, not his body. What else was there? Was there something Yami was missing? He wasn't sure. There was too much he just didn't know about these shadows that once lurked right under his nose.

Right in that other soul room filled with toys and games and bright colors, hidden in a corner or under the cover of the childish items was a dark something that wanted... Something. Revenge? No.

What it wanted, what it was, and how to stop it. Yami needed to figure out all these things before bad happenings began.

_For now, I need rest._ With that, Yami slumped back into the pillow on the bed and shut his eyes, ready to search for sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Footsteps thudded into the hall as the officer walked around the halls of the station. He whistled out a catchy tune he had heard on the radio today and twirled some keys on his left index finger, other hand in his uniform pocket. He turned a corner and slowly stopped whistling as he neared his office. The feeling he felt as he returned from investigating a report on a kid pushed off a cliff early in the afternoon grew once again in his gut. He felt nervous as he began walking to his room in the dark of night, but it faded when he finally got through to himself that there was nothing in the shadows. Just his imagination. At least, until now, when the notion came back and rattled his nerves like a motor.

There, in front of his office door, under the cover of the dark, stood a small boy with large, spiky hair. He rested his back on the door, arms crossed over his chest and a mischievous smile on his face. He held a strange aura to him, as if pure of heart yet oh so cruel in his ways. He kept his eyes shut until the man was standing right in front of him. As he peered up, he let his smile fade into innocent curiosity. It was a facade of course, but this man didn't know it. Yet. "Hello."

"Young man, who do you think you are and what are you doing in this place so late at night? You should be at home." The officer said with his authoritative tone. He stared sternly at the child but couldn't help but fear slightly at his gaze. Why he was afraid, the officer couldn't comprehend. It was just a boy that somehow entered the empty police station without anyone noticing and was waiting at his office door for him for reasons the law enforcer couldn't begin to make. There was not only one thing wrong with that thought, but multiple things. Like why was he even here in the first place?

The boy chuckled and stood up straight. "You shouldn't have gone to help that boy out. I mean, don't you realize what you've brought upon yourself?" He found this man amusing, thinking he can control someone like him. He would have to change that. He stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and eyed the man with brave countenance. "I am Yugi. I'm here to see you, sir. I would like to have a word with you about the incident you witnessed this afternoon, if you don't mind."

This mature and professional tone the boy had startled the policeman, but he complied and allowed Yugi into his office. After shutting the door and sitting in their respective seats, the officer began to see some odd things. First, Yugi seemed familiar somehow. He couldn't place it because of the darkness. When the man tried turning on the lights, they wouldn't work and Yugi snickered, assuring him he preferred it this way. That brought up the second notion of strange. The adult began to see things out of the corner of his eyes. The shadows playing tricks on him now more than ever, it seemed. When he tried to look at Yugi, another would crawl behind him and he shifted his gaze quickly to it out of reflex.

Now, the last detail that frightened the law man was Yugi himself. "I know what you saw today. You were brought to the side of a cliff, where a teen was bleeding after either attempting to commit suicide or being forced off by an unknown person. You were talking with him, trying to get as much information out of him before allowing his friend to come and comfort him. You told him that since he was in safe hands with the blonde, you would let him go and you and your co-workers left the scene to return here, stopping for some lunch at a fast food restaurant. You dropped off your friend at his home nearby and the other decided to leave in his own car for the bar. They suddenly disappear from all radars, you're here, unaware of all this and what do you think will happen now?" When Yugi finished, he saw the man's mind-boggled expression and laughed.

Everything he just said was true. That, Yugi was sure of. But the look on this man's face was just priceless. The other two were nothing like this one. They didn't squirm like he did. They didn't appear nearly as frightened, like there was a demon standing right in front of them, torturing them with true horror plastered on their faces. Sweat was forming at the size of beads on this man's face. His fists were pale and he was as tense as a squirrel. Yugi could easily just yell out '_BOO!_' and the man would scream, practically urinating on the spot.

So much for the powerful and courageous law enforcement.

"H-How do you know all that? What did y-you do to my friends?" Was the officer's response, stuttering it out as the sweat dripped and soaked onto his uniform.

This officer, law enforcer, law man, policeman, man, human was all bark and no bite. He was weak and probably just now realized the danger he locked himself in a room with.

_How foolish._

Yugi laughed and stood up from the chair.

Another shadow flickered past the weakling's peripheral vision and he whined.

_Don't look back._

"Are you aware that your shadow can talk, sir?"

The human shook his head.

"Shame. Your friends answered the same way. Well then, are you afraid of the dark, sir?" Yugi moved away from the chair and closer to the door, kind facade still on his face.

Again, the same answer.

"I was hoping you would do that."

The large, bulbous mass of darkness behind the officer tipped and slammed down on him, making the loudest crunching sound as it broke through his bones. The mass seemed to eat at the destroyed body, making small chewing sounds and a slithering hiss like a snake before it began to turn to vapor. No evidence of the officer's body remained, merely the fading shadow that consumed him.

Yugi smiled and closed the door to the office behind him, leaving without touching anything else. He hummed a tune similar to the one the officer whistled and chimed out, "May the darkness consume you soon."


	5. Chapter 5

_A ticking noise was the only sound in the dark room. Yami sat in a metal chair, wrists and arms strapped to the armrests, shoulders to the back, and ankles to the legs of the chair. One, lone light bulb flickered above him, like those in interrogation rooms, making a cone of light around him, and swinging slightly as the spirit struggled with the bindings. Where was he? Did someone capture him for some reason? He sensed danger but it was surrounding him somehow. He looked around the room and saw nothing, but found the source of the ticking noise. A small analog clock sat on the floor near his feet, hands reading 7:37._

_He was supposed to wake up soon. Yugi was missing still. He had to save him. _

_"Save me, will you? How, though, will you, a poor, unfortunate soul with no memories of his past, save me from the darkness that dwells within my very core? You don't even know of its true power, yet you are so easily tempted to stop the shadows only because I am 'controlled' by them. You blindly fight what you don't understand, just like your mutt of a friend." Yugi appeared in the blackness, glowing a strange purple that matched his eyes, and smiling evilly at the helpless spirit in front of him. His expression was meant to taunt Yami, but he wasn't sure if it really worked by the look in his ex-partner's eyes. They showed pity, the one thing Yugi didn't want to see. He hesitated, the pity running its course and allowing him to continue. "Try all you want, but the worst you can do to me is enter my presence. You'll be dead seconds later."_

_Yami kept silent, staring at his friend with that same look. He couldn't do much here anyway, seeing as he was bound to this metal chair with no real way out at the moment. _

_Agitation grew, becoming obvious on Yugi as the purple glow turned dark. He pointed a finger right at Yami and spoke menacingly, "If you don't want to talk, then I'll make you beg. Shadows, give Yami here a taste of the pain he will receive if he interferes with us." Doing as told, the darkness around Yami wrapped around him, constricting him and breaking the chair in the process. _

_Okay. This _hurt_. _

_The scream that followed wasn't the one Yugi wanted. It wasn't the right cry. "Come on, Yami. Louder. Beg for mercy. Yell out for those helpless souls you call friends. Show me the fear you have for the darkness." Yugi laughed, the corrupted gleam in his eyes turning for the worst._

_"Yugi! Stop! Please!"_

Jerking awake by the sudden pulse of pain in his soul, Yami sat up, feeling a cold sweat on his body. Nightmares. Yugi was in his nightmares. Was that him communicating or just Yami's image of what Yugi would do to him with these new powers? It was painfully real enough to be either of them. Peering over at the clock told him he shouldn't even bother going back to sleep.

7:37 AM.

After stumbling out of the game shop, Yami sighed. Where to start? He couldn't just go after Yugi. That would make him appear a fool, going blindly at the enemy, much like what his nightmare had described. He needed to think.

_Who is a good expert on the darkness?_

He skimmed through all the people he knew in his mind. Obviously, Tea, Joey and Tristan were out of the question. Yugi's grandfather too. Rebecca. Duke. Mokuba. Maybe Seto. Ishisu. _Wait a minute. _His mind had almost completely avoided the very two people that could help him in this situation perfectly. It was as if a force in his head didn't want him to find them. Strange. But now he knew who to look for now.

Marik and Bakura.

The two people who tampered with the darkness the most. The very people Yami was destined to defeat in a great and powerful battle were, ironically, the only people who could save him in this situation. He just needed an address. How hard was it to find two evil villains in Domino City anyway?

Not that Yami really needed to question that. What really mattered right now was Yugi and how Yami was supposed to get rid of the evil living within him. As Yami crossed street after street, heading off in an oddly familiar direction, he tried figuring out what the demons would want with his host's soul anyway. At this point, Yami would go for anything. Any sign that told him of the danger he was in and the power this shadow beast had to offer.

The TV store stood right in front of him now, broadcasting the latest Domino City news. "Presently, there is no word on who stole the jewels, but the police are still investigating. In related topics, four people are currently missing. A woman named Karla Undra and policemen Harold Jones, Oliver Fannagan, and Martin Tramgi. They were reported missing yesterday and no clues have been found on their disappearances, though it is suspected that there is a connection between the officers and Karla, who worked as an operator for emergency calls. Now to Darren for the weather." Yami noticed the picture of the one of the officers looked vaguely familiar. Wasn't that the same man who was asking him all those questions yesterday after Yami woke up at the bottom of the cliff? Yes, he was! Why was he suddenly missing? Did it have anything to do with Yugi?

It must have. There was no other explanation for it. Yami backed away from the store window and ran towards the edge of the next street. That officer was missing because of the shadows controlling Yugi. Why, though? Yami was tense, peering around him for anything in the crowds that appeared suspicious. Nothing really, but something in the back of his mind told him to keep watch as he crossed the street.

There was the blaring sound of a horn. Yami looked to his left and saw a truck stop mere inches away from him. The driver poked his head out of the window. "Hey! Watch the road, you crazy kid! You almost got yourself killed!" As the man shook his fist at Yami, the teen scrambled off, not wanting to get any attention at the moment. He had people to find and questions to answer, a villain to defeat. He had to be cautious about more than just the darkness, though. He wasn't exactly used to controlling Yugi's body like it was a daily life.

Not something he actually wanted to get used to, really.


	6. Chapter 6

Loud screeching sounds emanated from the tires of the truck as it was suddenly forced to halt. For the second time today.

For the second time today, the driver of the truck had to stop, losing his patience, and having to yell out yet again, shaking his fist at the person he had to stop for. The very same boy he had to stop for the first time an hour ago. "Hey, kid! Are you trying to get killed or are you doing this to get me upset? Some of us have places to be, you know! If you don't know how to cross the street, go back to school!" The driver yelled to the spiky haired teen. He honked the horn again.

The boy vanished. Not '_crossed the street_' like the first time, or '_ran off_' but '_vanished_', as in, like a ghost. Oh god, did the man actually kill a kid? Now he was going to be haunted by the runt until he paid for his sins or something, right? Great. Now he had to add another thing on his already booked agenda. He'd have to call for an exorcist later. Right now, he was on a tight schedule. He didn't have time for the boogeyman.

"Oh, you might want to call more than an exorcist. You might want to dial the number on the back of the truck, sir. You know, the one under the words 'Is my driving good?' Some of us want to file a complaint."

For the third time today, the truck driver stopped the vehicle. He turned his head to the passenger seat and saw the boy he had almost hit twice, sitting right there with a smirk on his face. He looked a lot shorter than the first run in with him, but the man shrugged it off as fuzzy memory and perspective. "The hell you doing in my truck, kid? How the hell did you even get on? I thought I ran you over!"

Evil laughter came out of the boy along with, "Yes! Do say that louder! Let the whole world know of your recklessness!" This kid was, quite frankly, creeping the crap out of the man. Not even five minutes and this ghost already sounded crazier than the nut house. "Sir, you might want to keep driving. You're already attracting attention. Creating traffic too, I might add." The boy pointed to the rear-view mirror and sure enough, the car honks and yelling became noticeable to the driver's ears. As the male pushed on the gas lightly, the teenager in the next seat clicked on the seat belt, as if he were going to stay in the truck for a ride.

Who the hell did this kid think he was? A freeloader, that's what he was! "Kid, at this next light, you better get out or else I'm calling the cops on your ass!" At this, the boy laughed again, sending shivers down the truck driver's spine. Yeah, he was going to need more than an exorcist, alright. He was going to need therapy after that weird laugh. Anymore of that and he'd drive himself off a cliff.

The kid hummed out a common tune from the radio. A bright smile situated itself on his face, as innocent as a sheep. A wolf in sheep's clothing maybe. "I'm Yugi. Yugi Motou. What's your name, sir?" He asked nicely, kind, purple eyes examining the driver's composure carefully. It was like he was waiting for something.

A blubbering noise came out the adult's mouth. The question was quite sudden and a bit out of place. "Uh, Rane. Rane Koch. Look, what the hell do you want with me, kid? I don't have time for this shit. If I don't get this delivery in by tomorrow morning, I'm losing my job. If that happens, I'm tracking you down and making you pay, Yugi."

"Threatening a child. Another thing to file a complaint for. No wonder you'll be fired if you don't make it. You aren't exactly a nice man, Mr. Koch. Tell me, do you enjoy the darkness that lies within your soul?" Yugi said as his eyes narrowed. The smile appeared mischievous now, like Yugi knew something Rane didn't. It unnerved the driver. Yugi could tell. That was good. This man knew the danger he was in, unlike the others. He was wary and could make connections quick. Maybe Yugi could use him. Yes. He could and he will.

Rane slowed the truck down at the stoplight as it turned red. Peeking over, he screamed out as something dark attacked his face. He kicked, punched and cried out for help, but to no avail. Slowly he stopped fighting. The stoplight quickly turned green and the truck moved a little quicker.

Yugi rested back in the seat, sighing and looking out the side window. "A world just ripe for the picking, isn't it, Rane? Nice and orderly." He shifted a bit, then placed his feet on the dashboard, pushing the seat back slightly and relaxing. He heard a hum in reply from the man next to him, then smirked. "Drop off this delivery, first, alright? I wouldn't want people getting suspicious. I might need this vehicle for what I plan to accomplish."

"What's that, sir?" Came Rane's question, curious and yet knowing. The car turned right and drove faster once again.

The purple in Yugi's eyes light up like a fire. The plan was still fresh in his mind. It was still in its first stages, but Yugi was too impatient to wait on finishing it. "Simple. I'm going to take over Domino City and make everyone who survives unleash the true darkness within them, just like I did. Because doesn't the darkness feel great, Rane?"

"Very much, sir."


	7. Chapter 7

Knocking on the door, Yami felt his other fist tighten. So much danger he could sense from behind the door, it hurt just to stand here. Marik might not have the Rod anymore, but Bakura still had the Ring and his Yami was still at large. That was what the spirit was hoping for, though. He needed these two to help him with their expertise on evil forces. Yami found out that they lived in the same apartment, thankfully, and now all he had to do was persuade them to help him with the situation.

The door swung open, revealing a surprised Egyptian teen by the name of Marik. He held a wooden baseball bat in his left hand that had something like dried blood on it. His fingers tightened around it. "You're not the pizza guy! What the frig is this?" He inquired, suddenly becoming upset. He tossed the weapon aside and turned his head to inside the apartment. "Bakura, the pharaoh's standing outside your door! I don't what he wants but I know you have something to do with it somehow! What I'm saying is: Come answer the friggen' door, you albino dickweed!"

He ran off without another word and Bakura appeared.

"What on Earth are you doing here, Yugi? I'm not ready to take-"

Yami cut him off, "It's not about that, right now. I need your help. And Marik's."

Bakura seemed flustered a little but allowed him to enter. Marik slumped down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. "Wait. I thought we were watching_ Nightmare on Elm's Street_, not helping your enemy with whatever!" He jammed some of the butter-drenched snack into his mouth after saying this and glared at his partner. Bakura shrugged and shoved him aside to sit in the middle.

Patting the right cushion, Bakura looked to Yami kindly and said, "Sit here. And ignore Marik. He's just a little upset, is all." As Yami complied, Bakura felt Marik's shoe slam onto his back and grabbed. "Cut it out." He whispered to his friend before asking their guest, "So what's wrong? Someone else threaten to destroy the world now?" He meant it as a joke of course.

The response, though, completely shattered his smirk. "You could say that, yes. It's Yugi." Yami hesitated, then explained the problem at hand.

It caught both of them off guard really. Yugi, turning completely evil in the blink of an eye? It just sounded ridiculous and unbelievable in every sense. So, of course, that's why they started laughing. "Very good joke! I almost bought that! Right, Bakura?" Marik asked his roommate. The albino nodded, holding his stomach in pain as his laughs rang out.

Yami felt his eye twitch slightly in annoyance. They thought he was kidding! Great. "I'm not lying!" They kept laughing, even with that. "Look, believe what you want. Someone is already dead because of my interaction with them. Yugi kills off anyone I come in contact with, so guess who might be next up on his list?" He stood up and sighed as their laughter continued. Slowly, though, he heard it die down slowly. Did it finally sink in?

"You're serious? He's serious. Bakura, he's serious." Marik shook the boy in question's shoulder, eyes wide. Not even a beat later, there was a glow and Bakura stood up with Yami. "Shit. Just got. Real." The Egyptian boy mumbled, smiling now and eating some of his popcorn.

Yami Bakura growled and grabbed Yami by the neck. "Don't lie to me. I don't particularly enjoy being tricked." He watched the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle choke a bit before Yami Bakura let go.

"Isn't he the good guy? Why would he lie?"

* * *

**AN: Yes. This is a small, crappy chapter and it was a bit of filler, but I felt the need to add this in because I wanted to introduce Marik and Bakura while also putting in a bit of humor into this. Basically, Marik's the humor and I'm an idiot. Also, I prefer the LK version of both of them over their canon counterparts so I made them act more like that, because humor. **

**This story needs more of that. It's too sinister and creepy. I don't really write a lot of dark stories. I don't know what happened here, though. **

**Anyway, I'm just using this short chapter to say all this. I made up for this pitiful writing with a longer, much more action-y next chapter. I hope it makes up for this. **


	8. Chapter 8

Walking slowly past the crowd, Yugi saw the apartment he was looking for. Just the place he wanted to be. He hummed out happily and smiled, entering the building and slipping down the halls. With the power he held with the darkness, he was unnoticed by the guard and the people walking in and out of their rooms.

Truly a feat for the boy. With his new servant, he easy killed off five people for the darkness. He liked the power. He enjoyed watching helpless victims squirm. Best of all, the new abilities he gained. This invisibility power was amazingly useful. No human could see him. It made this job so much easier for him.  
Yugi's objective?

A _once_ good friend of his. A _best_ friend, so to speak.

It should be obvious right now.

He found the familiar front door to the apartment he needed to be at. Putting his hand on the knob, he looked around for any potential witnesses, then felt himself become visible; closing his eyes, feeling the darkness slip from around his body and back into his soul. With his recently common smirk, he turned the knob and scurried in.

Suddenly, a gargled scream sounded and a beer bottle shattered above him. "Hell out! 'On't nee' yo' ki' 'ere..."

Yugi remembered that voice. "Oh, well. You won't be much of a problem." He murmured. As he walked past the drunken man, the shadows shot out and smothered the poor soul. "Just an extra offering." The drunk's screams were muffled and he was slow to fight. Not much amusement out of that. Yugi searched the main room for his target, but got a good plan.

_"Joey!"_

He slammed into the wall at the end of the hall, teary-eyed and startled. He began panting and nervously scrambling to knock on the nearest door.

_"Joey! Help! Please! You're not safe! I'm trying to help!"_

As expected by the spiky haired teen, Joey answered the call, opening the door. Surprising him, though, Joey grabbed Yugi's wrists and pushed the smaller boy into the wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, you bastard! Thinking that, after what you did to Yami, you can just come running to me? Like hell!" He forced the boy into a corner, then turned his head slightly to see if his father had noticed.

_"Joey... I'm telling you. It's not me. Yami's doing all this. He's tricked you into believing I'm evil, when it's really him. Why do you believe him? I'm the victim here! Who in their right mind would think that I, kind, sweet little Yugi, would be evil? Yami's the darkness!_ He's _the bad guy!"_

_Futile attempts. He already saw the body._

The blonde gasped. His father wasn't moving an inch. Not a snore was escaping his lips. His chest didn't even move. Was he... Was he really dead? That drunk old man that spent his pay on alcohol and threw bottles around like tennis balls, that man, was actually _dead_. The only family he had near him, as his sister and mother had left. Why did this man, who never did anything but work a few hours, drink, and sleep, have to die? The only parent Joey really understood. _God, why?_

_"What a pity. Is he dead? Joey,_ you know I didn't mean to. I didn't mean it. He hit me first." Yugi said, completely breaking his innocent facade. He didn't need that _crap_. His fake-whines weren't going to make much of a difference anyway. Maybe he shouldn't have killed the drunk. "He was in my way, Joey. I mean, tossing a bottle to get rid of a guest? How rude. I had to teach him a lesson. Make him pay the price." None of the excuses were working, but it was nice to drag this out a while. Yugi liked the expression the blonde was showing, tears forming, teeth clenched to hold them back, and he even paled a little. Oh, this, Yugi knew, would be _much more enjoyable_ than that idiot, Rane. Both blubbering fools, but Joey, he knew better. He could manipulate the duelist easy. Where to begin? After killing his parent, where does Yugi _not_ go from here? He laughed softly at the thought, a smug grin forming. Interesting, indeed.

Joey heard that laugh and swiftly jabbed his fist into Yugi's stomach. Coughs and sputters. All pain. He would make this boy feel _pain_. Nothing he said would change that. Young Joseph would make this _devil_ cry for _mercy_. "You killed him! _Make him pay_? I'll _make you pay_ for that! The spirit was right! You really aren't the same! The darkness got to you, you little shit! You never should have come here!" With every sentence, Joey punched the short teen more into the corner. He even kicked him once or twice. It wasn't like he kept track. Joey didn't care anymore for this traitor. He'd let out his pain on his father's killer until he felt satisfied.

Grunts were the only sound escaping either teen's mouth for a few more hits. Until Yugi finally said, "Satisfaction, eh?" He grabbed both of Joey's knuckles before they landed anymore punches as the bruises and cuts started to heal instantly. It was a bit of a stretch of his power, if he wanted to get Joey and go, but that actually hurt. Joey was the only human that really made Yugi feel any pain since all this really began. Finally, the boy could get a_ real_ challenge out of this. Shadows grabbed Joey and pushed him into the wall nearby. "That's enough of that now. I see that I have a bit of entertainment this time. Did it feel nice to hurt me, Joey? Did it make you feel better to see me in pain? Thrill you even?"

All Joey did was grimace and squirm. He wasn't going to give this evil the benefit of an answer.

A chuckle. "No need for that. You can tell me anything. I am your_ best friend_, after all."

That completely set Joey off. "You lost that title when you submitted to this crazy darkness shit! No friend kills off their friend's parents, not even a best friend! No friend turns evil and starts hurting every person he sees for fun or power! You're a completely mental bastard if you think you're still my_ friend_ after this! You're nothing but shit, you that? I hate you and I'd never think of you as a friend ever again!" He was yelling too much to Yugi's liking now, so a shadow pressed itself onto his lips to silence him.

Something inside Yugi tingled. A pang of... Sadness. He never wanted to hear his best friend say such things and call him stuff like that. He didn't want that. _You don't care. You can just kill him._ The darkness dulled the emotion, but it didn't fade. "Oh. Well, if that's how you feel." _His anger is seething._ "So, Joey, do you like spitting out such hurtful words? Do you enjoy the darkness surging through those words?" As Joey growled out in rage, Yugi lifted a hand close to the helpless boy's face. "And I actually thought this would be a fun challenge. I guess I was wrong." He saw Joey's eyes widen, but it didn't send the right signal. Yugi didn't smile, but had a more serious expression instead. "I'll just be taking your soul now."

One simple gunshot rang throughout the apartment.

Yugi twitched and collapsed, a small bullet hole present on his forehead as he bled. The tiny piece of metal had pierced his skull and went right out the other side.

Short laughter, then, "Headshot! Did you see that, Bakura?" Marik turned to the boy in question with a bright smile on his face. "I've always wanted to do that, you know? Except not so brutal, but this works." He held up the silver pistol gun. "I mean, this thing's strong enough to break through bone? Where do you get this stuff?"

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. He didn't exactly enjoy Marik's talking and slight idiocy, but he'd take what he could get in company. "Marik, did it ever occur to you that right now isn't the right time to joke around? We need to focus on the task at hand. Isn't that right, pharaoh?"

The spirit in question wasn't in the mood to talk. He completely ignored the question and ran over to Joey. The shadows were peeling off the blonde, who was slipping to the ground slowly as they did. "Joey, are you alright?" He knew it was a stupid question to ask, but he couldn't think of anything else to say. Marik just shot Yugi right through the head and Joey was right there to witness it. Not really the best thing to see at the moment. You know, when your life is threatened by your best friend.

Joey winced, pain present in most of his muscles. He lifted his head to look at Yami and nodded once. A wave of dizziness suddenly came through and he groaned, letting his head fall back.

_Get up. Don't let these fools take you down so easily._ The shadows hissed as they healed the gaping wound on Yugi's forehead. It might have hurt, but it wasn't going to stop him. He would see to it that Yami suffered the most. _Return the pain._ Slowly, Yugi sat up and glared at the pharaoh. "Oh no you don't! His soul is mine!" Quickly, he stood and snapped his fingers. The apartment door slammed open and Rane grabbed Marik and Bakura. Yugi knew his servant had those fools taken care of, so he made a jump for Yami. "I don't think you understand the situation here," He said as the darkness forced Yami away from Joey, "I'm the one in charge. You can't stop me! I have this power and I can use it however I want!" Yugi could finally smile at the pain on Joey and Yami's faces.

Another gunshot. Then a few more followed.

"Die, monster! You don't belong in this world!"

"Marik, that's a human being!" Bakura grabbed Marik's gun and held it away from the Egyptian boy. He gripped his shotgun as well, but hadn't used it at all yet. He saw the body squirm and stand up in a peculiar way, deformed from all the bullets, especially in the head. "Bloody hell. At least, that's what that thing used to be. You shouldn't have shot him so much, you idiot."

The mutilated being lurched towards them, a garbled up mess escaping what used to be its mouth. The duo practically jumped back in terror. Bakura shot the thing once in the head. "Oh, so you can do it, but when I try to, I'm the bad guy? What's up with that?"

Handing him back the gun, Bakura leered. "I only shot him once. Now shut your buggering mouth before a bullet goes through your head too."

Meanwhile, Yami had gotten Yugi to the ground with another headshot. As the enemy struggled to stand again, Yami put an arm under Joey's shoulder and started leading him away from Yugi. He had to get Joey out of here, then warn the others. Everyone he knew and loved must be in danger now.

"And you couldn't be more farther from the truth. Now I hope your not taking my next victim away from me, are you?" It was Yugi. He kept coming back thanks to that new power of his. He would keep fighting until he was out and he was far from that. He crawled over and grabbed Joey's ankles, pulling back and causing the blonde to fall. Yami stumbled as well, but the shadows pushed him away again, this time swiping the gun out of his hand. _'I need to get out. Take Joey and go. I can't take anymore of this._' He stood and hauled Joey up. The dark power swirled on the wall behind him.

The contorted beast reared back and burst into black flames, screeching out before disappearing. Yami Bakura and Marik looked at each other and shrugged then turned to the other battle.

Yami's eyes widened as Yugi took a few steps into the black portal. It was like he was frozen in place by the villainous glint in Yugi's once-gentle eyes and the sad, defeated look in Joey's. "Say goodbye to good little Joey, Yami." The spirit of the Puzzle cringed and suddenly regained the ability to move, speeding towards the two. Too late, though, as Joey was gone. Yugi had somehow teleported both of them away with the powers he had. He was becoming powerful enough to do that now? That meant things were turning worse for the innocence in Yugi, if it was even still there, anyway. Yami liked to believe it was. It gave him something to nice to think about in the course of recent events.

Marik slammed into the wall and pounded on it. "Get back here and let me shoot you!" He yelled at the concrete. No answer. He tensed up and swerved to the other two in the room. "The frig? That's bull_crap_. He totally just pulled some_ Organization XIII_ shit, right there! That's really unfair! And he has a mind slave! What the friggen' frig?" He began to pout, already breaking the seriousness in the room.

With a sigh, Yami Bakura walked over and smacked Marik upside the head. "I said shut your buggering mouth, you bloody idiot!" He looked to Yami and said, "Just ignore him. He doesn't know when to shut up, really." The upset look on Yami's face told the albino he wasn't exactly listening to anything he said either. A second sigh and he placed the gun down on the nearby table, then crossed his arms over his chest. "Looks like you were right about Yugi. I'll give you that. That power, though. I've never seen such abilities in any other person. Not even in Duel Monsters. It's intriguing. Terrifying, yet intriguing." He went quiet, suddenly thinking of possibilities he could go through with that kind of power.

After rubbing the side of his head in slight pain, Marik wrapped an arm around Yami's shoulders. He smiled. "No need to worry, pharaoh! We'll get Yugi back in no time, if my name isn't Bond. _James_ Bond. Which of course, it isn't."

"Marik!"

He peered over his shoulder at Bakura and frowned. "Lighten up, fluffy! I'm just trying to keep the mood happy! You can't blame me! I mean, just look at him! He's like a neglected, kicked puppy! You know I can't stand that!" Marik moved Yami so his friend could see.

Yami Bakura rubbed his temples and put a hand on the shotgun, thinking about how easily he could just shut the boy up, but going against it. "Leave him alone, Marik. Let's go back to our apartment and we can make another plan, right, pharaoh?" When he received no answer, he grabbed the gun, pulled Marik off of Yami, and walked out, Marik protesting along the way.

Again. Another person was taken again. And it was Joey. Why? Why Joey? Yami cursed himself for not being quick. He was taken too much by the fact that Yugi was his enemy, still couldn't grasp it, that he couldn't save Joey. Who knows what kinds of things Yugi was doing to him now?

"What have I allowed to happen?"


	9. Chapter 9

This was an interesting predicament. Yugi had never seen such willpower. In a human anyway. He circled around Joey, taking in every twitch, each little reaction. He could see in those light brown eyes. That freedom and happiness was shattering like glass. The shadows were pushing into Joey's soul, while Yugi prodded his mind to make him fall deep. "Come on, Joseph. You don't need to fight. You're so close to the dark. Just jump right in. I mean, didn't you enjoy the concept of hurting people who were weaker than you for your own amusement? You can do that again if you just give in." Joey's eyes were shut, like he was blocking out Yugi if he didn't see him, and fighting the shadows inside as well. He saw the blonde cringe, heard the grunt of pain, and his grin came back. None of the pain from before, the sadness, could stop him now. He was so close to gaining control.

"Speaking of control..." Yugi mumbled, peeking over at the clock that sat on the floor. It was close to midnight, and there was something he had to accomplish at that time. He needed to finish this. After effectively breaking the clock for fun, the spiky haired teen bounded over to his prisoner, chained to the wall behind him and sitting in pain on the floor. Looking at him straight in the eyes, Yugi said, "Joey, I have a feeling you don't want to be_ friends_ with me anymore."

Like before, the idiot was set off on a rampage. Seemed like it was a touchy topic. "Oh, what the fuck gave you that shitty idea? The whole '_get me the hell out of this goddamn place_' bit or the '_punching you in the face_' bit? Was it the spit? The fact that I'm actually fighting for my fucking freedom? I have no idea where the hell you get this all from. You know why? Because I'm apparently some sort of goddamn idiot to you!" Joey pulled at the chains, unsuccessfully choking Yugi or harming him in any other way possible. He was so angered, he didn't even stop trying. His fury had reached a peak, mind suddenly slipping quick into the insanity. It was like drowning, only the pain wasn't in his lungs, it was his mind and soul that suffered.

Quiet settled in the room. Yugi frowned and observed Joey with childish curiosity. What had happened? Was he dead? Did Joey give in? He could feel the shadows creep back towards him and remind Yugi about his next task, but he was still focused on the other boy. He stepped closer and nudged at the blonde's head. No response there. Yugi crouched down and place an ear on Joey's chest. Sure enough, there was a slow, soft thudding noise, though a bit messy in consistency. Joey was alright then. Yugi moved away, taking one last look at him before exiting the dungeon cell.

He entered the cell next door and grabbed a chair. It was a special chair, a chair Yami was quite used to. He had been in it once before, and with this boost of power from Joey's soul, Yugi would make sure Yami sat in it once again. As silently as he could, Yugi took the seat to the wall closest to Joey's room. After firmly tightening the straps on the chair, Yugi took a few steps back and pulled the chord to turn the lone light in the cell off. He memorized the location of the chair and stared at it, picturing his ex-partner's soul wavering in it, then Yami himself.

_Next, all Yami could hear was a heart beat. These soft thuds slowed his own heart's pace, relaxing him slightly. Were it not, of course, for the fact that he was once again stuck in a chair! This place was completely familiar. He knew immediately where he was. "This again?" He asked, attentive to his surroundings. Nothing he could really see, but he could sense something there. "That's you, isn't it, Yugi?" As chuckles began, he knew he was back here. This place with the darkness that could kill him. Was it really a dream? This was happening again, so obviously it wasn't. "What do you want with me?"_

_"Oh, it's nothing. I just wanted to ask what you thought of the events of today. I mean, so much happened. Especially with Joey and all." He walked forward, just enough for Yami to see his form in the darkness. His snickers echoed through the room as Yami struggled through the binds. "You do know it's futile to fight me. I have too much power to be stopped. So many souls taken away, like Joey. His was the finest one so far. Gave me enough power to summon you here again. Do you really know how much it takes? A hefty load." He closed in and picked at the strap of Yami's left wrist. Almost in a taunting way._

_The pharaoh glared, but that was the only bit of amusement he would allow. It wasn't enough that Yugi had him down, now he was reminding Yami of the loss of his friend. He was basically just trying to get Yami mad. "Yugi, where did this come from? You said it was from within your soul. Why have I never been able to sense it before?" A chill went down his spine as the evil warped and pushed against his chest, a wave of some form of nausea took over. He could see a red tint in Yugi's menacing stare._

_Were it not for the fact that Yami knew he was in danger, he would have probably been intimidated by the look. Of course, he wasn't now, so Yugi calmly stated, "Haven't you realized it yet? This power, its origin, was you. Remember when I first completed the puzzle? The first thing you did. The bully you scarred for life? That dark power was young, not sure of itself like you. Weak, unable to do much. You didn't even know of its power. You used it to save me and my friends, help us, and intimidate our enemies at one point. It wasn't until Duelist Kingdom, until Kaiba ripped the Blue Eyes, that you saw the danger. Slowly, you stopped using the darkness to its full potential. After the second incident with Seto, you and I locked the power in the recesses of the puzzle. Suddenly, you completely ignored it and it decided to seek vengeance through me."_

_Shadows nudged again at Yami's torso. It was seeking a way into his soul! "So then, why couldn't they just easily exact revenge by just simply taking my soul instead of yours? What does it stand to gain from using you?"_

_Howling laughs echoed through the dungeon. "'_Using me_'? Yami, they're _helping me_. Unlike you, who cast aside the greatest thing you had for _friendship_. And that _heart of the cards_ crap, too. Everyone knows by now that it's all dumb luck. The only time you actually showed even a twinge of the darkness in dueling, even so much as touched the shadows again, was during the Orichalcos situation. You had that duel set, had you not been such a fool to allow Rafael to win. You could have won if you let the darkness out completely once again. Don't you see what the darkness wants, Yami? It wants to live. Live in everyone's hearts. Yours especially, so it no longer has to worry about being locked away." He stepped back a bit, "For now, it will just have to stick to my _two_ servants."_

_'_Two? Yugi couldn't possibly be saying... No. It can't be._' Yami thought as the heartbeat sped up. He was sure it was a different person's but his was going just as fast from hearing it. Struggling more, Yami sought to get out and find Joey here if he could. He had to, before Joey submitted to the darkness._

_"Give up on that. Joey's long gone. It took a while, with all that will. The idiot's smarter than he looks if he could mentally fight so much. I only got through to him minutes before calling you here. Pretty stubborn if you ask me." Yugi saw the shadows trying to force itself into Yami. Another idea struck. "I'll tell you what, since the darkness seems keen on taking you over, why don't you submit? In return, you get to see your precious friend however much you wish. Think about it. All that power you had before, right back where it belongs, surging through your veins and given freedom. You could return to your old habits of fear and power. As an added bonus, I'll throw in partial control of other people's darkness and even your other friends. Come on. How much better of a deal could that be?"_

_As expected, Yami didn't fall for it. After calming down, he searched inside himself for a way out of this torture. If what he figured was true, that was Joey's heart he could hear, magnified only by the darkness to frighten him and leave him confused. Yugi and the shadows were trying to make him join the evil. That obviously was a waste of time for him, but Yami knew Yugi wouldn't care if he got what he wanted or not. It would just mean more fun agonizing pain for Yami if he didn't. And then there was Yugi's plan. He was going to target Tristan and Tea, if Yami was understanding that correctly. "You know that will never happen. I will get Joey back from you, then save you, Yugi, from all this."_

_Yugi wished he had laughed at that, but something in him responded to the call. Oh, he'd be dealing with that obnoxious notion later. Right now, he was running out of power and he could see Yami fading. "I guess you could try but that won't work really. And you're right about the pain. Shadows, let us use force to show Yami the power he's missing out on." As soon as he said that, the black slithered onto the chair and then to Yami, heating up to feiry temperatures and crushing into his stomach and chest._ Much to Yugi's displeasure, the helpless soul vanished before he could do much more. He was on edge with losing power but that was so much more interesting than last time. So worth it to see the misery in Yami's pure, serious eyes. The composure he had completely shattered as Yugi mentioned any bit of information on Joey or the plan to take everyone else he was with. Yes, now, there was another thing he had to do to torture the boy before he went on with the rest of his duties.


	10. Chapter 10

_"May the darkness consume you soon, Yami."_

Said boy sat up as his backbone quivered. Once again, he was asleep in Yugi's bed, and was struggling with it too. No matter when, Yugi just felt like screwing with him, even in his dreams. He couldn't stop it though, as Yugi was the one that controlled the power. Gaining sight of the clock, Yami sighed.

_Midnight._

Would he be able to go back to sleep knowing that Yugi could easily have the darkness take over his soul if he did? The answer was a simple no, so Yami got out of bed and quietly exited the room to go to the kitchen. Along the way, he saw something different on the wall, or rather, the door. The door to _Grandpa's room_. "No. No, no, no." There was a paper stuck to the wood, words written with black marker already etching themselves into Yami's mind.

_I thought I'd take a souvenir before I left you alone. I hope you don't mind. Don't worry. The old man's in a better place._

Ripping off the paper, Yami pounded the door to Solomon's room. Not a word from the other side. Twisting the knob, all he found inside was an empty bed. "Gah! No! Why?" He ran out the room and searched throughout the game shop for any clues, any indication that Grandpa Motou was alive. By dawn, Yami was sluggishly pining through the kitchen for some breakfast.

A few more hours later, Yami met up with Tristan and Tea. They were walking through the city.

"So now Yugi's Grandpa is gone and the shadows are targeting you two. All I know now is that the power originated from within me and now it wants the whole city to carry it within them. Yugi's been having it gain too much power recently, with all the souls he sacrifices to it. So I've been a bit on edge." Yami stated as they walked. Currently, he felt safe, calm knowing that his other two best friends were close by and not possessed by evil. Though, he still had to keep watch just in case Yugi got anymore sneaky plans to capture him or his friends.

Tea grimaced as she looked around. "So is that why you have those two following us around? With guns?" Peering back, she cringed at the sight. Marik and Bakura were following close behind, guns in pockets as they talked with to each other about who knows what. She didn't particularly like the thought of their two greatest enemies were now their allies only because of Yugi, though it did make sense. They would be targeted too, since Yugi knew they were a threat, even now. An odd turn of events really. Their greatest ally had become an enemy, while their enemies, allies.

There was a loud gun shot noise and Marik shrieked, people around them panicking a little as well. Yami Bakura cracked up so much, exclaiming, "Left the safety off! My bad!"

"You're bad? That could have went right through my leg! That's not funny!" They began bickering but no one paid attention to them after that.

Yami sighed. Yes, they were a tad too _strange_ for partners, but they did help him. Guns aside, they did know what it was like to be the enemy and could sometimes predict what someone evil, like Yugi at this moment, would do next. It sort of kept things even too, seeing as Yugi had two partners now as well as the darkness. "Well, they agreed to help and Bakura said he had weapons. I thought at least something could help."

Tristan scoffed, "Dude, with the kind of power Yugi has, we probably need all the help we can get. And fire power too. Can Yugi really heal himself from _any_ wounds he gets?" At Yami's nod, Tristan grimaced and looked away shuddering at the thought. The fact that gunshots were only minor problems to this evil Yugi, even when they went straight through him, was beyond disturbing. He really was dangerous, in most aspects of the word.

This wasn't exactly an aimless walk, no. Right now, they were headed to Kaiba Corp. for the very reason of more assistance. If they somehow persuade Seto to help them, they might be able to knock Yugi down. Seto had a large influence over many people. They'd be able to stop the darkness before it spread anymore than now. Hopefully anyway. The CEO was extremely stubborn and a bit of a jerk, but they all thought of him as some form of friend. He had to agree to help, if he wanted to stay alive.

That is, if they even _get_ to him alive. Striking Yami out of his thought process was a large beast, shaped like a humanoid alligator. The two noticeable things about it was the fact that it was overflowing with the power of the darkness and that it was climbing up the very building the gang was going to. It was only a few stories up, so when Yami shot it in the back, it dropped down a lot less painfully. It stood again and reared its head back, letting out a resounding roar, then charging at the group. Bystanders had already fled at the sight of the thing walking by, the monstrous beast much taller than any human.

Dodging the attack, Yami Bakura pulled out his pistol and fired at most five shots before reloading, then repeating the quick process over again. He had enough practice with a gun to do that, unlike the others.

"Hey!" Tristan yelled to the albino, "Have anymore of those?" His answer was a silver revolver being tossed at him. He caught it only after letting it slip from his fingers once, avoiding the trigger until he held it steady then letting the gun do its intended job.

The sound of the four guns clouded almost every other noise. Tea's voice was barely heard but Yami caught the minimum of what he needed to hear. He stopped firing enough to notice what she had said but she was right. Inside the illusion of shadows was a human. The darkness encased the man and made him a mutant gator so people would flee at the sight and it would go unharmed, for whatever reason. The only reason Yami could deduce, Yugi was inside the Kaiba Corp. building, going after Seto for his soul.

That was the exact opposite of what Yami had hoped for.


	11. Chapter 11

Three knocks sounded on the office door, pushing Seto out of his cloud of work. He looked up from his computer and grunted out a "Come in" before trailing back to the screen. It was not that he didn't want to talk to whoever it was, but merely that he didn't get a notification from his secretary that someone was coming up to see him. '_Obviously someone doesn't know who they're meeting with._' He thought, hearing the door open. "State your business and make it quick. Some of us have things to do." He ordered, still not bothering to look at them. He busily tapped at the keyboard without another care.

"You'd be right about that, Kaiba. I'll start."

Seto knew that voice. It was just impossible that it would sound so maliciously warped. "Yugi? What are you doing here?" He had finally peered over the screen and saw the wild haired teen. Now not only was the voice so strange, but the expression on Yugi's face, a smirk and a devilish gleam in his eyes. Odd as it was, the CEO kept his passive expression, because showing weakness wasn't what he did. "If you're here to ask for my help because I'm your _friend_ then you know you aren't going to get anything. You should just leave if it's that. And don't even get me started on that _heart of the cards_ shit."

Yugi chuckled and walked over to the desk. He knew about the small twinge of confusion Kaiba had for his sudden appearance. He could even sense a pinch of fear in the stubborn soul. "Oh, I agree. Why talk about such foolish things when we can have much more adult conversations." That seemed to have caught Seto off guard, by the look of it, and that look did make Yugi want to laugh. "Now, in light of keeping things fast, I'll be straightforward. Kaiba, I'd like you to unleash the darkness inside you and help me take over Domino City with it." He held a hand out to hopefully take Kaiba's and lead him to the next phase of his plans. Oh, if only. Yugi knew it wouldn't work like that, but it was nice to try, wasn't it?

Like expected, Kaiba sneered. He stood up and placed his hands on his desk as well. Yugi had to be playing the stupidest trick ever. "I don't know who you think your fooling but it's not me. If you don't mind, though, since you're just wasting my time, I'll be calling security to take you out." He was about to press the button to bring them in when he heard Yugi snap his fingers.

"You mean, like these two?" Yugi asked, curious. Two men in suits walked in, then saluted them in a stern manner. Neither man went to grab Yugi, instead standing on either side of him. He snickered again, just loving the shock on Seto's face more than anything. "Yes, do call them in. They did their job perfectly, keeping unwanted people that shouldn't interfere with my plans out. They also have a second job, but if you agree to come with me, you won't find out what it is." Again, he didn't really think Kaiba would fall easily, just doing this to toy with him. It sent the right effects, and Yugi could finally see Kaiba squirm. Slowly, he moved to side of the desk, narrowing his eyes as a challenge gesture as he kept them centered on the brunette's blue eyes. "Look, you told me to be quick, I was straight to the point. I know this won't take long either, seeing as there's already plenty of darkness inside your soul. I won't need to do much manipulating to unleash it. Now, if you please, stop acting cocky and do as I say." His voice turned from kind and devilish to pure demanding and slightly annoyed. This should be easy. Kaiba just had too much irritating stubbornness to keep it simple. He was even more aggravating than Joey.

Being caught off guard was one thing, but this just blew that feeling up. This was far too unlike Yugi to even be him. Seto would keep believing it was, though. Yugi was just talking crazy. Darkness inside his soul? Sure, he didn't want to be with any of them, but he wasn't evil or anything. He wouldn't hurt people physically, maybe a little mentally, but that was it. This was just taking the thought to new levels. Kaiba fell back into his seat and grimaced. "Yugi, you're insane. And if you think that just because you've somehow changed all of a sudden, I'm going to help you, you're wrong. I don't let anyone control me."

That, in itself, made Yugi not only laugh, but practically hold his stomach in pain. It sent chills down Kaiba's spine to both see and hear Yugi laugh. After snapping his fingers, Yugi stopped the giggles and turned back to Seto. "I beg you to restate that. Seriously, I do. If you believe that, you're more of an idiot than Joey!" The guards finally got over and grabbed at Seto, holding him down to the seat as he struggled. "_'I don't let anyone control me_'? Do you notice you're not in the position to say something like that? The fact that you actually can be controlled by the darkness completely disproves that statement. So close to wrong, and oh so far from right. How about just giving in already? I have plans and you're not making them any easier by resisting. In fact, I need you to give in quick so I can go on to the next phase."

Plans? What kind of plan needed Seto to join this charade? A Halloween prank?

"You want to know, eh? I'll tell you, but first," He snapped his fingers, turning to the open office door, "Where the hell is Rane?" He yelled as another one of Seto's security drones walked in. A shadowy figure grabbed the man, who begged for mercy before saying that there was trouble going on outside. Yugi growled, knowing that only a few people would dare disrupt his plans. "Annoying little pests. Never mind him then. He can die for all I care. Send Joey after them. They can't shoot him. I'll have them all eventually anyway. More servants, more power, and Yami won't be able to bother me anymore." The darkness holding the guard faded away and Yugi forced the man out of the room, returning his attention to Seto and the men holding him to the chair.

During his talk with the other guard, he saw that Kaiba was struggling to break away from them. Yugi lightly smiled, then said, "I guess you'll be more useful than I predicted. You see, the thing I plan to do is take control of all of Domino City, plunging every survivor into the darkness. To achieve that in one run, without going through countless days of slaughter and mind control, I need a large enough signal that covers the majority of the city. The darkness will go through the signal, sending its power and ideals to anyone and everyone within the the range. All who refuse it or oppose will lose their souls as a sacrifice to fuel the shadows. See, there's only one signal that completely envelops the entire city. The Kaiba Corp Network's. I wanted to send my servant up there to claim the satellite dish, but the first time, I realized he couldn't directly access it without a password and a key card of some kind. I know it has something to do with you, so I was just going to have my servant secure the dish so none of those idiots could interrupt my plan. Too late for that, so you'll be of greater use now. All you need to do is submit now. Quick and easy."

Kaiba couldn't comprehend how that plan would work, because he knew he would never join Yugi in anything. He was mad if he thought so. "As if. The only thing you'll get out me is _this_!" He forced both guards off him quickly and reached into his deck drawer.

Flinching back, Yugi glared at the barrel of the gun. "Seriously! Where the hell are you people getting these things?" He asked, stepping away slightly.

"Did you forget, Yugi? I'm Seto Fucking Kaiba! I'm always prepared for this kind of shit!" He turned the safety off and aimed right at the other boy's head. He wasn't afraid to shoot. Not at all.

Slowly, Yugi moved his hand and grabbed the gun. He hated these _annoying _weapons! "You keep these just so you can't lose, do you?"

"I think you understand me now. I don't plan on joining your little imaginary friends in anything. You can leave now." Seto said, flicking Yugi's hand right off the gun.

Yugi let out one loud, defiant laugh. The darkness screeched out, startling Seto, then it pierced through Seto's heart. "Finally. You've let out the darkness within. Wasn't that simple?"

And now, to the next phase.


	12. Chapter 12

"Do you see anything?" Tristan asked Tea as she surveyed the next hallway for signs of danger.

She gulped, seeing the shadows suddenly shift and churn. It was like it was alive and searching for them. In seconds she moved back. "There's something, but no one else is around. As far as I can tell, it might just be empty. Let's go." She stood up and alerted the others with a wave of her hand. They all slowly crept out of the corners, making sure there was truly nothing, like Tea had said.

Yami was on edge, more than the others, because all around him he could feel the energy. On the sides of his field of vision, he would see little flickers of movement. In his head, murmurs of unholy deeds would enter from the shadows and tell him what they would do to him. The only comfort he had in this situation was the fact that there were friends near him, alive and not possessed by the insanity. His only wish was to find Yugi and see him smiling and not under control of the darkness, Joey also free from them as well. Yami shuddered as he felt shadows racing past him. There was something else going on here. It wasn't Yugi's presence he felt here, with the shadows. It wasn't his silhouette he could make out at the end of the hall, in front of the door to the final staircase.

_It was Joey, grinning from ear to ear, darkness flowing around and through him. _

"Hey, guys. Where've you been? I was wondering when you'd finally get here. Took you long enough though. Did you have fun with those guards downstairs? All of them were my idea, after all. Yuge said to kill them and take their souls but that would defeat their purpose wouldn't it? I said to have them try to kill you. Too bad all they had was nightsticks and tasers. Yuge got rid of their guns, seeing how irritating they were. Doesn't help, but oh well." The blonde held a hand out, smirking in the process. "So who's gonna give their soul next?"

Two guns were raised to him, Bakura's and Marik's. Tea shivered under Joey's malicious glare, stepping back without a word. Tristan gripped his gun, but cringed as he realized couldn't hold it up to his best friend. Next to him, though, something shot up and the silence cracked around them all. They all saw Joey get knocked away slightly, pain evident in his expression as he looked at his stomach, where the bullet went in.

"Well, someone's in a cheeky mood." Marik said as Yami walked toward Joey. Bakura growled at the blonde.

Screams of amusement poured through the halls. The blonde resting on the floor, gripping his side in minute pain shaking and grinning, was the origin. His devilish brown eyes observed the pharaoh. "Yuge was right. You really are smart enough to know, identify and completely ignore the risks put in front of you. That's why you're annoying! Not _because _you come back, but because _when _you come back, you come back at full force, putting in every ounce of strength and guts into what you do. No wonder Yuge has his eye out for you." In his mirth, the bullet wound began to heal, and when he spoke, he stood back up, tall and ready. No fears, no hesitation, and yet he did not strike.

Yami grimaced, hissing out in malice, "What do you mean 'Yugi has his eye out for me'?" Both pale fists tightened, one greater around the gun it held, fingers doing well to avoid the trigger until questions were answered.

Joey merely shrugged, steeping slightly to the right. He pointed a finger to the door behind him. "Go and find out. It's not like there's much else you can do. You're just the little rat, finally getting the experimental boost it needs to survive."

Complying was his only option, and it brought him closer to Yugi, but Yami wasn't capable, due to the fact that his now-enemy was only allowing him to pass, it seemed. Casting a look over his shoulder, he saw his friends begin to agree.

"Don't worry about us, pharaoh. Just get rid of the darkness." Bakura yelled to him.

"Yeah! We'll be fine as long as you can get to Yugi!" Tristan added.

"Just go! And good luck!" Tea screamed, urging Yami to go.

No one was telling him to stay. They said they could handle this, but it still worried the spirit. How much of the darkness will it take for him to lose them?

The squeak of the door slowly became a click of a lock. At that very moment, the shadows shot from behind the Wheeler teen. He snickered, then grinned, saying only one thing, "May the darkness consume you soon, pharaoh." He lurched forward, and in seconds, blackness was all that could be seen.

* * *

**AN: I'll take this out after I update. I'm sorry for not updating recently. I've been pretty busy but I decided to put in two chapters to make up for it. Now, I only have one more chapter left and an epilogue I want to probably add in. I hope you guys like this and the way it's headed. I'm also working on another Yu-gi-oh story that I also hope you guys will enjoy, another reason why I've been late. I have the last chapter done, but I'm going to work on the epilogue. I want to get it done before anything. If I'm late, I'm sorry. **

**Hope you guys enjoy! **


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